A Story To Remember
by Hogwarts Duo
Summary: Xiomara Hooch can't stop meddling into the lives of Albus and Minerva. This time she may have gone too far when she manages to portkey them into a muggle fairy tale...Sleeping Beauty.
1. Chapter 1

**A Story to Remember**

**A/N:** This is a big day for us since we started writing this seemingly forever ago. It is our version of Sleeping Beauty told with Albus and Minerva. The story is based mostly on the Disney version since we are both big Disney fans but we have also added our own little twists and turns as well. We hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 1**

"What was she thinking?"

"I believe she meant well Minerva. And it was rather nice. I especially enjoyed the triple layer fudge cake."

Minerva was looking at Albus as if he had lost his mind. "Albus, Xiomara just threw us an anniversary party and we are not married."

Albus grinned despite the frustrated looks being sent his way by his Deputy Headmistress. "She did have a point if you remember. It has been fifteen years to the day when I asked you to become my Deputy. Armando was so pleased with my choice; he started composing his letter of recommendation to the Board of Governors before I could even complete my prepared speech on your merits."

As Albus smiled fondly at the remembered time, Minerva found herself blushing a rather unbecoming shade of bright pink. "That is all well and good but we don't want to give the staff any ideas. There are already enough rumors floating around about us as it is."

The comment seemed to hit its mark as Albus became serious. "And do those rumors bother you, my dear? I may not be able to stop them completely but I can certainly address the staff on the subject of unfounded gossip."

Minerva sighed. She didn't mind the rumors at all. She only wished there was some truth behind them. Xiomara was a dear friend but Minerva didn't appreciate the way she kept putting her in awkward positions with Albus. If a relationship was to develop between them, she wanted it to be natural, not forced on either of them. Over the years, they had developed a close friendship and she was not willing to risk it unless she was certain of the outcome.

"No, that is not necessary. Besides, summer is nearly upon us and with most of the staff leaving for their homes next week, I am sure the incident will be forgotten by the time classes come around again."

The students had boarded the Hogwarts Express that morning and Minerva had never been more ready for a vacation. Teaching had become more draining on her every year since Voldemort's fall. She couldn't seem to rid her heart of its aching from all the pointless deaths of a few years ago. It didn't help matters that Severus had been hired as a professor after agreeing to become a spy for the light and had stayed on after the Dark Lord's defeat. Minerva would bet money that he went out of his way to irritate her. Usually she found their banter refreshing but near the end of this term, she had only become more stressed with every confrontation. And now with Xiomara, not to mention Poppy and Pomona, trying to actively dictate her love life, it was all she could do to go through the day without either falling asleep or hexing everyone in sight.

"Very well, Minerva. But if you have a change of heart, please let me know and I will address the situation." Albus seemed to regain a bit of his enthusiasm as he picked up the gaudily wrapped package on his desk.

"Surely you are not going to open that now. Perhaps it would be best if I take it with me and open it in the morning. It is late and I don't want to keep you from your rest." Minerva looked at the package with barely concealed fear. Xiomara Hooch had a mind of her own and Minerva didn't want to take any chances by opening the package in Albus' presence.

"What better time is there? Besides, if she went to the trouble of getting us a gift, we ought to do her the courtesy of opening it."

Minerva had the overwhelming urge to cover her eyes as she heard the sound of paper tearing. Instead she opted for averting her face and closing her eyes. There were several seconds of silence and Minerva felt a sense of panic rising in her.

"What a wonderful gift!"

Albus sounded genuine in his praise so Minerva ventured to open one eye. With a gasp of surprise, she strode across the small space separating them and peered down at their anniversary present. A beautiful burgundy colored, leather bound book was grasped firmly in Albus' hands. The gold lettering across the front gracefully spelled out the title, A Story to Remember. An outline of a witch and wizard in medieval dress, who looked suspiciously like the pair studying them, were holding hands and staring lovingly into each other's eyes.

Minerva found herself growing extremely suspicious of such a benign present from her friend. Xia was not known for her subtlety. "It is a lovely gift. I don't believe that I have heard the title before and I notice there is no author mentioned."

Albus peered at the book a bit more closely and with a smile opened it to the first page. A dedication was inscribed in Hooch's untidy scroll.

_May you be blessed with many years of happiness and a happily ever after._

Minerva felt her face grow hot with embarrassment and irritation. Albus didn't seem to notice as he turned the page without a word. A picture of a beautiful white castle on top of a rolling green hill filled with wildflowers adorned the next page and had a small poem at the bottom. Albus' melodious voice filled the room as he read it out loud.

Once upon a time in life 

_A person comes along_

_Who makes your world a better place_

_And gives your heart a song._

_It is the tune of love, my dear_

_Though you each doubt what you see_

_But in your hearts the answer lies_

_For you hold the golden keys._

_Reach out and claim what's always been_

_Yours alone to take_

_In the second that you do_

_Your hidden love will wake._

_Now turn the page and step inside_

_Your dreams await you there_

_It's time you took a bold new step_

_Into the fairy tale love you share._

As the last word fell from his lips, Minerva's vision blurred and she felt a pulling sensation spread across her body starting with her belly button. Her last thought before blackness descended was how she was going to hex Xia for using a portkey on her.

Minerva was first aware of a tickling sensation on her bare forearms and around her face. Her head ached as she opened her eyes and took in the blue sky above, almost blinding in its brilliance Looking to her left, she was momentarily confused by her surroundings. When did she move outside of Hogwarts and why had she decided to nap on the grass? She knew she had been tired of late but surely she could have made it to her rooms.

Memories of the anniversary party and the gift from Hooch flooded her mind. Gently she rose to a sitting position and looked around. Confusion caused a ball of fear to form in her gut. She was not outside Hogwarts nor did it appear she was anywhere near the school. The surrounding countryside was somewhat similar, a grassy lawn with a pond laid to her right and an expansive forest lay before her. But the similarities clearly ended when she took in the giant white castle which rose behind her perched on a cliff.

"Minerva, you are awake. Are you feeling okay?"

Minerva had never been happier to hear his voice. Albus had appeared just over the ridge to her left. Her jaw dropped in surprise and after several attempts at uttering just a single word, she closed her mouth, speechless.

"Rather fancy and old world isn't it." Albus turned to one side and then the other showing off an outfit of which he looked rather proud.

Albus was dressed in a tan tunic and leggings with a red cape and brown boots. A cap with a feather was propped on his head at a jaunty angle. The grin on his face was almost comical as he swirled about. A sudden realization dawned on Minerva and she looked down at her own clothing. As she had somewhat expected and dreaded, she was dressed in a peasant dress of drab coloring with a pair of worn slippers on her feet.

"Albus, what in Merlin's name is going on?"

"I am not really sure Minerva. From what I can tell we are in the picture from the book. I haven't figured out a way to get out just yet but I am working on it. Unfortunately, my wand doesn't seem to be functioning properly. I looked around when I woke and the landscape just seems to go on forever, very beautiful. I haven't seen another person, magical or otherwise."

The way he was being so casual about the whole situation had her on her feet in less than a second. "And you don't seem to think this is a problem? We have to get out of here." Taking her wand out of her sleeve, where she always kept it, Minerva flicked her wrist. "Finite Incantatem."

Nothing happened and Minerva spent several more moments trying everything she could think of to get her wand to work. Finally she resigned herself to the fact that her wand was not working either and she sat down hard on the grassy knoll.

Albus who had been watching her with mixed emotions took a seat beside her and took her hand in his own. "I am sure that we will get out of here eventually. This must have taken Hooch a long time to create. It is really rather impressive. I wonder if she had help. In any case, we ought to enjoy our time here while we can."

Xiomara Hooch. How had she not come to that conclusion earlier? Of course, the interloper would be the one to set this up and trap her here. What she hoped to gain, Minerva had no idea. Hardly able to contain all the emotions tumbling inside of her, first she laughed and then she choked back some tears and in the end she opted for anger. "Enjoy ourselves? When we get out of here, I am going to hex Hooch into next week!"

A popping noise sounded somewhere above their heads and both glanced toward the sky, wands drawn, heedless of the fact that they would be of no use. A small creature started to fly toward them at an astonishing rate, coming to a halt a few feet before their eyes. It was only then that both of them noticed that the small flying creature was none other than Xiomara Hooch.

"Happy Anniversary! My name is Xiomara, your fairy guide."

Minerva stood in shock as she watched her friend transform from no larger than a small wren to her usual petite size. Clad in a rather unflattering dress of all things and a pair of wings, the sight of which caused Minerva to burst into laughter. "What…how…wearing?"

The winged witch looked at her with a frown on her face before turning to Albus whose eyes were twinkling merrily at the sight. "I am here to welcome you to your anniversary gift and to set a few rules."

That statement sobered Minerva and with narrowed eyes she addressed her old friend. "What rules?"

"The rules to the game of course. You entered the book by reading the poem did you not? And now you must play out the story in order to leave." Xiomara Hooch smoothed her skirts as she waited for Minerva to stop sputtering. "And don't bother trying to hex me. Your magic does not work here."

"Why you little…" Minerva was stopped by Albus who had taken her arm before she could attack the apparition in front of them.

"Please excuse us for a moment." Albus pulled Minerva to the side and started to whisper. "It is obvious that Professor Hooch has decided to give us a rather…interesting gift. I say we go along with what she has planned and see where it leads. As of this moment, we don't really have a choice and attempting to strangle her likeness will get us nowhere at all."

Minerva had to concede the point. Perhaps she was overreacting. Maybe this would be the break she needed and they would have a great time. She decided to hear the fairy out and find out what was going on. And if nothing else came out of this, Hooch in that outfit would give her enough blackmail to last a lifetime. They made their way back over to Xiomara and Albus asked her to continue.

"Thank you. Now, as I was saying, I am here to tell you the rules. You will become characters in a story. The story will proceed as dictated and at the end, you will be released back from where you came.

"The rules are simple and few. You may not deviate from the basic story line, scenes will only progress if you complete certain required tasks, and you may not leave early. And of course, you may not use magic unless denoted otherwise by your character. And one other thing, you will recognize most of the characters in the story as their physical appearance will resemble individuals from your real life. You may call them by either their story name or by the name you know for them outside of this book to address them – but they will not know you by your prior relationship, only by your character's relationship to them in the story."

"And what pray tell is the story?" Minerva had to admit that she was curious. She wasn't at all thrilled with being forced into this but she was willing to try and enjoy herself. At least she was willing until the story title fell from the deceptive fairy's lips.

"Sleeping Beauty."

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Before she had a chance to truly digest this information and retort, Minerva felt herself being pulled once again as if by a portkey. When she woke this time, she found herself in a cozy bedroom, a small window providing the only light. Her hand clutched a small scroll and she quickly opened it to see what information it would impart.

_Good morning Minerva. Your tasks are simple for this first scene. You need only pick some berries in the woods while singing a lovely tune so Albus can find you. _

Crumbling the piece of parchment, she threw it on the floor where it promptly disappeared. Singing indeed! She would play along since she had no choice but that didn't mean that she wouldn't make a few rules of her own.

She could hear sounds coming from the other room and decided to investigate. If she remembered her fairy tales correctly, and with Xia knowing that Sleeping Beauty was her favorite, she figured she was about to meet Flora, Fauna and Merryweather.

When Minerva eased open the small wooden door and peeked into the other room, she nearly had to stifle a laugh. She had been correct in her assumption that she was about to meet the three fairies that looked after Briar Rose. At least that was what the young woman in the story had been called. Silently, Minerva hoped Xiomara would at least give her a more suitable name, perhaps Scottish Rose but with her sense of humor, one could never be certain of anything.

The three women were bustling about the house, doing their daily chores. Poppy as she was known at Hogwarts had been assigned the role of Flora, the plump but grandmotherly figure dressed in robes of reddish pink. Madame Sprout was easily identified as Fauna if for no other reason than the brilliant green of her dress. Merryweather had not been an easy connection to make. While her features looked incredibly familiar, it took Minerva several minutes to realize that Madame Pince was the fairy dressed in blue. It had been the largeness of her usually slender frame, which had caused the momentary confusion. It appeared that Xiomara's long standing dislike of the librarian had spilled over into the story.

The Scottish Rose walked slowly into the room, trying desperately not to disturb the three seemingly happy women. It wasn't until Poppy noticed her watching them from the shadows and bid her a warm 'good morning' that she felt comfortable in her new surroundings.

Sprout and Pince both whirled around and smiled sweetly at the slender woman framed in the doorway and for a brief moment, Minerva started to address them as she would have had she been back at the school. Fortunately for her, she remembered what Fairy Hooch has said about them not remembering her, so instead she returned their warm look and waited for what would happen next.

"It's about time you woke up, sleepy head," Pince teased as she briskly cleaned the house. Her blue robes swished and swayed as the plump woman made light work of sweeping the floor. If Minerva hadn't known better, she would have sworn the woman was using magic. Being one of the three fairies, it would not have been out of the question, but at this point in the fairy tale, Minerva remembered that they were not allowed to use their powers for fear that Maleficent would find them.

"Yes, we were hoping you'd go into the forest and pick a basket full of berries for us," Sprout announced as she handed the Scottish Rose the dark wicker basket."

"But, I just picked berries yesterday," Minerva countered. She threw out the simple argument remembering that Briar Rose had done the same thing. However, her mind was on the upcoming meeting with Albus and the possibility that he had found a way out of this mess. Reminding herself to pay attention to what the women were saying, Minerva pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind. After all, if she wasn't careful she might miss something crucial, though she had heard this story so many times in her childhood that she doubted there would be anything she would forget.

"I wanted to make a new dessert for dinner tonight," Poppy announced, "and I need lots and lots of berries." Before she had a chance to object further, the Scottish Rose was being pushed out of the door while being reminded to not talk to strangers in the forest.

Minerva walked along a well-worn path in the forest picking the required berries as she went, following her feet which seemed to know more about where she was going than her mind comprehended. She looked around her cautiously and at one point, she even reached for her wand, which surprisingly enough wasn't in her pocket. Of course it wouldn't be, for the princess had no magical abilities of her own, she reprimanded herself.

A small brook with a tiny wooden bridge came into view and on the spur of the moment, Minerva decided to sit down and to try to make some sense of what was happening. She thought back over the anniversary party, the gift from Xiomara, and every single thing that had occurred since she had found herself immersed inside the book. According to the story this was supposed to be the part where she sings and her prince shows up on his valiant steed. He would then take her in his arms and the two would share the most romantic of dances in the forest. In fact, her bit of parchment with her tasks for this chapter had specifically outlined it – or rather the singing part of it.

Minerva scoffed at such an idea. It has always been the one part of the book that never made sense to her. How on earth could someone fall so madly in love with another person based on one dance and one song? After all, it had taken her nearly five years before she was ready to admit how much she loved Albus and she still had yet to confess those feelings to him. No, she might be forced to play along with the overall storyline but it was here that she deviated from the plot. Briar Rose might be naïve enough to be charmed by some stranger, but the Scottish Rose would not be, even if she knew the Prince was Albus.

That was another thing that bothered her. How was Albus reacting to all of this? He had seemed much calmer than she when the rules had been explained. Knowing the crazy old coot as she did, he was most likely enjoying this little adventure and would play his part with overzealous enthusiasm. It was his childlike qualities that would shine through. Of that she could be certain.

Time passed slowly and Minerva waited not so patiently for Albus to arrive. She had so many things she wanted to ask him. It seemed like hours had passed since she left the tiny cottage and still no sign of the stranger in the woods. Sighing in frustration, she was on the verge of losing her temper when she noticed a shimmering orb making its' way towards her. She had seen this apparition before…Fairy Hooch.

"Minerva McGonagall! What did I tell you about this story?" she asked rather accusingly.

"You, Xiomara Hooch…or Fairy Hooch, didn't exactly tell us a lot about what's happening here only that we were to complete some tasks, follow the story to the end and then we would be released!" Minerva countered in anger.

"Exactly! And how, may I ask, do you expect to meet Prince Albus, the strange but handsome man in the glade, if you do not follow the tasks outlined on the parchment you received this morning?"

Minerva took a calming breath and tried desperately to rein in her overwhelming emotions. "I am here in these bloody woods with a basket. I have already picked the berries and I'm waiting for the other victim in this sordid affair to arrive! Apparently, he decided to deviate from the story or else he's found a way out and left me here to suffer!"

"Tsk, tsk…temper temper. For your information, Albus is wandering around in the forest. He's following his end of the story but you, my lovely, have to start singing. Otherwise, he won't be able to follow your voice and you'll both be stuck here until you do decide to sing."

"Really! This is ridiculous! What do you expect to accomplish with this little charade? Do you think just because you force us to play out this fairy tale romance that he'll fall hopelessly in love with me and it will carry over once we return to Hogwarts?" Minerva was nearly at her breaking point. "It's hopeless. I've come to accept that. Why can't you?"

"Nothing is ever hopeless as long as you believe, Minerva. And how do you know what Albus is feeling? Maybe, just maybe, he's thinking the same thing as you. But because you refuse to cooperate, we'll never know." Xiomara gave her friend a wink and a knowing smile. "He's waiting on you, Min. He always has been." And with that, Fairy Hooch disappeared like a vapor.

The Scottish Rose sat and mulled over everything her friend had said. It was true that she hadn't necessarily given it her best try to win Albus' heart. It was just too risky and if she ended up damaging their close friendship, the pain would be unbearable. Then again, they were in the fairy tale and things were supposed to work out happily for the main characters. A few more minutes of rationalizing and debating in her head, she finally came to the conclusion that the only way to get her life back to normal would be to play along and to follow the set storyline. Either way, she'd finally learn what it felt like to be kissed by Albus Dumbledore.

At first, Minerva started to sing quietly. She was amazed to find that she remembered all the words to the song, the one she had memorized and sang as a child. It was the song that spoke of finding the one man you had dreamed of and who had stolen your heart long before he walked through the door and introduced himself. In her youth, Minerva had actually believed that romance was just like the fairy tales but all too soon those assumptions were dashed. Still, she had to sing if for no other reason than to get a chance to speak with Albus.

The more she sang, the easier it became and the louder her voice rose. She soon found herself kicking off her shoes and placing them near the basket of berries as she closed her eyes and imagined Albus holding her in his arms. A feeling of happiness washed over her and Minerva couldn't remember a time when she had felt so young and so carefree. Her heart felt light, as if she hadn't a care in the world. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, she drank in the warmth of the sun's rays, the long forgotten song floating from somewhere in her memory to the tip of her tongue and spilling effortlessly across her rose red lips.

I know you  
I walked with you once upon a dream.  
I know you  
The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam  
Yes, I know it's true  
that visions are seldom all they seem  
But if I know you, I know what you'll do  
You'll love me at once  
the way you did once upon a dream

Off in the distance, Albus was riding through the same section of the woods. His heart was supposed to be heavy for he was on his way to meet the young princess to whom he had been betrothed as a lad. But he had an advantage. He knew the beautiful woman would turn out to be Minerva, the young lass he was to meet in the forest. But he was lost. The more he wandered in the thick forest, the more he began to doubt his memory of the story and the parchment that had disappeared after he had read it that morning. Perhaps he had done something wrong, though he could not even begin to fathom what it would be.

According to the scroll he had found in his hand upon waking, he was supposed to follow the sound of a woman singing and engage her in a dance. And if he remembered the story correctly, he should have heard her voice by now but he had been wandering around aimlessly for what seemed like hours and he hadn't heard anything except the chirping of birds high in the trees.

He was about to give up all hope when he caught the faintest whisper of a sound. Drawing his trusted steed to a stop he listened intently and was rewarded as he heard the most melodious voice ringing through the trees. He paused to listen for a moment and the more he heard, the more he wanted to hear from the source of such wonderful sounds. Swiftly, he altered his course and began searching for the voice of such merriment.

The trees surrounding the hidden glade were large, yet allowed for beams of sunlight to filter down and kiss the flowers which grew in patches here and there. The beautiful Scottish Rose continued to sing longingly about her dream lover and the day she would finally be able to tell him of her love. She stopped to pick a handful of flowers and to dip her fingers in the cool waters of the stream nearby. All the while, she was unaware that she was being watched intently by a handsome prince, namely Albus who had managed to find her.

Albus couldn't believe that Minerva could sing so beautifully. Her voice had always caused shivers to race up and down his spine but this was different. The most amazing woman he had ever seen was right before him and in the form of his best friend. For years he had dreamed of the raven-haired beauty and perhaps one day revealing his love to her but something always stopped him from confessing all to her. And here she was, dancing carelessly in a clearing and it took his breath away.

He rubbed his eyes, making sure that they were not deceiving him, before he inched closer and closer. He surveyed her slender frame appreciatively, wanting to know how it felt to hold her in his arms. He felt drawn to her, more so than he ever had before. As she twirled in dance nearby, as if moving in perfect time with a suitor, Albus couldn't fight the urge to step forward and take her by the hand, guiding her through the dance himself.

**A/N:** Thanks so much for your reviews and feedback. We hope you have enjoyed this chapter and we'll post the next one in a few days!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

As soon as his hand touched hers, Minerva smiled yet she did not feel startled or threatened in any way. Instead, she smiled sweetly at him and allowed him to pull her close as they swayed to the tune she was humming. Their movements were graceful and fluid, as if they had been practicing for this one moment all of their lives. He seemed to anticipate her every move and she slipped into his arms as naturally as drawing breath. When she began to sing once more, he found he knew the words and immediately his voice joined hers in singing of the perfect love.

There was a magic at work beyond anything imaginable. Tiny jolts of electricity flowed between them as their hands touched and their eyes locked. Her dark green orbs stared directly into his blue ones and the entire universe seemed to melt away. Drawing her even closer, he led her over to a small clearing just beyond the glade and they looked towards the white castle looming in the distance. Upon instinct, Minerva leaned closer to him and laid her head upon his shoulder, drinking in the unique smell of lemon drops and chocolate from his skin. Errant strands of his hair tickled a spot on her neck, causing her to shiver.

Albus was also lost in deep thought as he held her in his arms. She smelled of honeysuckle and her hair was as soft as morning dew upon the roses. Looking towards the castle, he felt saddened knowing they would be parted soon. For now, though, he had Minerva in his arms and all seemed perfect. "Minerva, I missed you," he confessed softly for fear of breaking the spell between them.

"I missed you too. I thought you'd never come," she breathed back in answer.

"It was the strangest thing. I wandered around in the forest, searching everywhere for you but the harder I looked, the worse luck I had. Then, I heard your voice and my hope was renewed. I knew that as long as I could hear your sweet voice, everything would be right again." He hugged her to him and laid his head on top of hers. "When I heard your singing, I would almost swear the birds hushed in reverence and I knew exactly where to find you."

"Oh Albus, that's just silly," she replied nervously. "We're both in unfamiliar territory and you couldn't be expected to know of this small clearing in the vast forest. So, what have you been doing all this time we've been apart?"

"Searching for you, my dear," was his honest yet simple reply. They slipped back into a comfortable silence as they continued to take comfort in being so near the other. But their time together was not to last for long.

Minerva suddenly remembered Poppy, Sprout, and Pince back at home, telling her repeatedly never to talk to strangers and to come back to the cottage as soon as possible.

She hated to leave but in order for the story to progress further, she must leave the safety and comfort of Albus' arms and return to the home of the three fairies. "I'm sorry. I really must go, Albus," she said pulling herself free from his arms.

"But wait!" Albus called after her to no avail. "Can't you stay for just a while longer?"

He wanted to rush after her but somehow his feet wouldn't move. It was as if some invisible force was keeping him from chasing after her but then she stopped. His memories of this scene from the storybook were faint but knowing that Minerva most likely knew the story in great detail, he rationalized that her leaving him was necessary for the progression of the story they were in. But while it was necessary, it didn't make it any easier to watch her leave.

Minerva turned and flashed him a radiant smile, the kind he had seen on the face of the woman in his dreams. His secret dreams of Minerva, if he was to be brutally honest. At that moment, he would have done anything for her, anything to make her happy and to keep her in his life, in his arms. "Tonight. Meet me at the cottage in the clearing, just beyond the brook." And with that, she darted away, leaving him stunned and longing for just a few more precious moments with her, either here in the fairy tale world or in their reality back at Hogwarts.

Minerva ran all the way to the cottage but her feet barely touched the soft grass. She hummed the romantic tune all the way back home, thinking of the man with the amazing blue eyes. She called out to Poppy, Sprout and Pince long before she reached the cottage door. When she burst inside, hardly containing her excitement, she was surprised to see the most beautiful set of robes and a delicious looking cake. She had forgotten that today was her birthday in the book.

"Surprise!" the women shouted. "Happy birthday. Oh, we have so much to tell you today."

"And I have something to tell you. I've met the most remarkable man. He's so handsome and he dances divinely," she said twirling around as if he were holding her in his arms. "He has auburn hair and the bluest eyes. They're like pools of water, clear and bright and …"

"A man?" Poppy exclaimed!

"Oh dear. That's not good," Sprout added sadly.

"Most unfortunate too. And today of all days," Pince spoke softly.

Poppy pulled the young Scottish Rose into her arms and hugged her tightly. "My dear, you can never see this young man again." She looked from Sprout to Pince and then back to their Scottish Rose. The moment of truth had come and it was going to be hard to speak the words that had been forming for years. "You see, your real name is Princess Aurora and you've been promised to another since the time of your birth. We're supposed to return you to the castle this evening and you'll marry him within a few weeks."

A tight knot formed in the pit of her stomach as she looked at the saddened faces of the women who cared for as friends at Hogwarts and who had taken care of her for her whole life in the story. It was then that she remembered where she truly was; she was surprised to find that she had forgotten for a short time. This wasn't real and her prince wasn't real. Minerva pulled away from the older woman dressed in pink and pushed passed the other two in robes of green and blue. She ran all the way upstairs to her room and collapsed onto her bed.

Minerva struggled to remind herself that it was all just a fairy tale, an elaborate charm placed upon them by Xiomara for fun. But it did not hurt any less to think that all of this was just a fantasy. Albus had arrived, just like Fairy Hooch had said, but then again, that was all part of the story. He had danced with her and made her feel like she was the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth but hadn't that all been part of the fascination with this story?

Bitter tears fell from her eyes as she cried for the man who had stolen her heart in the forest glade and so long ago at Hogwarts. He truly was the man she had dreamed of so many nights and the familiar gleam in his eyes confirmed for her that he was the one she truly loved. Now, her entire world was turned upside down and she was going to have to face the harsh reality of doing what was expected based on some silly writer's imagination just so she could return to a time and place where she was no more to him than a friend.

Albus stood rooted to his spot in the glade for several minutes, long after Minerva's slender figure had disappeared from his line of vision. He could still feel the warmth of her body as he held her in his arms during the dance. His ears could still remember perfectly the way her voice floated through the clearing, enticing him to follow it much like a mermaid's song to a sailor. Albus knew that there was more to his feelings than just some storybook tale for he had loved Minerva far longer than he cared to admit. For admitting the total number of years to himself and to her would mean admitting he had failed to use his Gryffindor courage to his advantage.

Darkness was looming in the distance and Albus couldn't stay in the glade waiting for her to return. Mounting his white horse, Albus noticed a bit of parchment appear and unrolled it to find out what he needed to do next.

_Dearest Prince, your tasks for this next scene require you to make haste toward the castle where you will tell your father that you have found the woman you are going to marry. Your noble steed will then guide you back to the fair maiden's house where all is quiet. You must investigate but be ready for any surprise._

Smiling to himself, he gave one last look around, knowing he wouldn't catch sight of Minerva but hoping all the same, before he nudged his horse into motion. His sights were set on the castle ahead, a structure which even rivaled Hogwarts in its grandeur. As he urged the horse to go faster, Albus had to duck as they jumped over a small stream bringing his head very close to a leaf covered branch. The white stallion was galloping at a fast pace but still Albus did not feel they were going nearly fast enough. After all, perhaps if he hurried he could get to Minerva before the fairies took her away. He knew it was a vain hope, but he couldn't help feeling anxious about his Minerva being forced to prick her finger and fall into a deep sleep.

It seemed like forever but finally the gates of the castle loomed before them. Flashes of the storybook ran through his mind and he knew his father would be waiting for him in the courtyard. As they pulled in a stout man with a crown on his head stood waiting on some steps which led to two massive wood doors.

"Albus, my boy, where have you been?" the man said as he ambled down the steps. "The princess will be here any minute and you must be ready."

Albus was momentarily struck speechless as he watched the form of Cornelius Fudge come towards him with a giant smile on his face. The idea of Fudge as his father was preposterous. Xiomara must have either had a few too many butterbeers or had her tea spiked the night she created this scene in the story. He swung off the horse and met the Minister halfway.

"Father," he exclaimed, the word coming out less enthusiastic than he meant. However, the character didn't seem to notice. "I have seen the girl that I am going to marry."

Albus kept a large grin on his face, not a hard task as Cornelius looked dumfounded at the revelation that his son had seen his intended. The real Minister would rather be obliviated than ever appear to look unprepared in public. A curiosity considering how often his incompetence tended to shine through.

"You have seen the princess?" exclaimed Fudge rather belatedly.

"No, father," Albus laughed, knowing he must go along with the storyline as much as possible. "I met a girl in the glen and we danced."

Albus grabbed Fudge and started to spin him around while humming the tune which Minerva had been singing. He knew the real Fudge would never stand for this kind of treatment and had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. What would the minister say if he could see himself now?

"A girl in the forest," Cornelius repeated in confusion.

"Yes, and I am going to marry her. She lives in a cottage in the glen. I am off to meet her tonight." Albus gave his father one final spin before letting go.

"A peasant girl. You can't marry a peasant girl! You are betrothed." Cornelius stated using his most authoritative voice.

Albus mounted his horse in one fluid movement. He was in a hurry to get their conversation over with so he could be on his way. "I am going to marry her father. Do not worry you will love her as I do when you meet her."

With his final words echoing in the air, Albus took off leaving a trail of dust in his wake and Cornelius Fudge shouting after him.

They galloped through the forest, his steed leading the way. Albus tried to watch where they were going but after several minutes knew he would not be able to find his way back without his horse. Everything was beginning to look the same so he let his mind wander to what Minerva was doing at this moment. He knew she would soon be led to the castle in order that she may prick her finger on the spindle.

A fear grew inside him, starting in the pit of his stomach. He had never considered what sort of magic might be used to encourage Minerva to follow the story and what they would use to have her fall asleep. If something went wrong he would not be around to protect her. Surely her best friend would not do anything to harm her. He clung to that thought as they pulled up in front of a tidy cottage.

There was smoke coming from the fireplace but everything was eerily silent. Albus knew this was the scene where the prince was captured. He was unsure how he felt about his position but knew it was necessary. He dismounted and moved toward the front door, which was open enough to show darkness within. He called out and pushed the heavy wood open the rest of the way.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he entered the room. He could feel several sets of eyes watching him and had to force himself to move further inside. His wand found its way to his hand, regardless of the fact that it would be of no help in his fight. He had just started to speak again when the door slammed shut behind him and several pairs of hands began to restrain him.

Albus fought as best he could as ropes wound their way around his arms and waist. He caught a glimpse of several houseelves in their usual tea towels and a few goblins with nasty looking weapons. He nearly laughed but a gag being placed in his mouth stopped him from making any sounds at all. He had never been so vulnerable in his life and though he knew he would come to no harm his heart raced with trepidation.

A form dressed all in black emerged from the shadows and reached out to grab his chin. He was forced to look into a familiar face and Albus' eyes widened in shock.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? I set my trap for a peasant and wind up with a prince."

Albus hadn't considered who would play the part of the villain in the story. However, had he given it any thought he would have come up with a list of possible staff members. Severus would have topped his list, as he often looked the part, and he could easily have made an argument for any number of his Professors or colleagues. However, the person who stood before him now would have been on the bottom or perhaps even left off of his list altogether.

Sibyll Trelawney's cackling sounded odd to his ears and he tried his best to look the angry hero, though he was sure his surprise was evident on his face. Trelawney dropped his chin and motioned to her minions.

"Bring him along," she stated as she moved toward the door. "And do be careful with him. After all, he is our guest."

Albus stumbled as he was pulled outside. He sincerely hoped Minerva was having a better time of it than he was at the moment.

**A/N:** Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. We're very glad that so many of you are enjoying the story and looking forward to the next bit. Just so you know…there are only two chapters left now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

As the story dictated of her character, Minerva allowed herself to be led off by the three fairies. She had an uneasy knot in the pit of her stomach as her mind raced through the fairy tale and she realized what was to come. Her fear wasn't so much for herself but for Albus, knowing he would have to complete his tasks in order to wake her from her slumber. But despite that, she felt a tingle of excitement course through her, causing a smile to curl about her lips. The only way he could wake her, at least according to the original story, was with a kiss upon the lips.

She had often wondered how it would feel to be kissed by Albus. She had pondered that very thought for years, watching as his lips parted and his tongue slightly peeked out to accept a lemon drop from his fingertips or to lick away a remaining bit of chocolate from them. Her heart began to beat faster in her chest at the thought of finally realizing a long- held fantasy, sharing a kiss with the man she adored. She only hoped it wouldn't be over too soon and that she would at least wake soon enough to return his caress.

Before she could delve further into her dream world, Minerva saw the castle looming larger than life in front of her. The massive doors reminded her somewhat of the ones at Hogwarts, though on a much larger and grander scale.

"Welcome home, dearie," one of the women accompanying her commented as she felt a small hand pushing her towards her destiny. "This is where you belong…at home with your Prince. He's waited a long time for you Rose and we have every confidence that you'll be happy with him."

Minerva found herself struggling to form words as they walked slowly into the castle. "But the man in the glade…he's the one I am interested in marrying. Not someone chosen for me by my parents at my birth." To Minerva the very idea of having a mate chosen for her was horrifying but these were different times. Times when kings and queens were more concerned about preserving or expanding their empires than the happiness of their children. She had no worries that her fairy tale parents loved her for they had destroyed all the spinning wheels the very day the curse had been cast, but it still unnerved her that they could be so callous when it came to matters of the heart.

Before her thoughts ran away with her once more, Rose was standing before her parents, who were practically sobbing with relief and happiness at having set eyes on their long lost daughter. Soon, she was enveloped in tight hugs with kisses reigning down on her face from both parents and Minerva was caught up in the moment. Tears began to fall from her own eyes at seeing the happiness from her story book parents.

After a rather elaborate ceremony, she found herself kneeling in front of her father as the entire village looked on in awe. He placed a beautiful crown upon her head and turned her to face the crowd. "I present to you, my daughter…Aurora…Princess of our fair land." Cheers and loud exaltations practically roared through the countryside as she took her rightful place with her parents and a large feast was to be held in her honor.

Sitting alone in the high tower, Minerva stared into the mirror. Outside the window, she could hear the men working on setting up the banquet tables and the crowds still milling about below and she was a bit disheartened. All of this fanfare was for her but she truly didn't feel as if she deserved it. She hadn't done anything special for this honor to be bestowed upon her, yet everyone seemed so happy to see her.

She scoffed at that comment. Never in her life had someone been that happy to see her, especially not her students back at Hogwarts. Minerva even began to doubt whether Albus had ever truly been excited to see her simply walk into a room. He always seemed to smile at her but it went no further than friendship, of that she was certain. Despite the feelings she had earlier in the glade, she was convinced that once this entire charade was over, things would return to normal once they were outside of the book.

Minerva slammed the brush she had been using back onto the table and growled in frustration. She stood quickly causing the small stool to tumble over behind her and she began pacing and mumbling under her breath. She was in the middle of a rather heated tirade involving Xiomara Hooch when suddenly the fairy like representation of her soon to be ex friend arrived.

"What did I tell you earlier about fighting the course of events?" she chastised without stopping to consider the cause of her friends' anger. "You know that Princess Aurora never did this in the book so why is Minerva doing it now?"

"Because I've had it UP TO HERE WITH THIS STUPID GAME!" she yelled out furiously. "All of this…" she indicated with a waving of her arms…"it's nothing more than a childish dream, used to lure little girls into thinking that they will all find their prince and life will be happily ever after! I used to believe in the fairy tales before I saw life for what it really is! It's a long series of cold days and nights with no one to share them with," she finished softly, her eyes welling with tears.

"You don't believe that," Hooch replied. "You and I both know that if it wasn't for dreams, we'd have no hope and without hope there's nothing left. You're fighting the game because you're afraid." Minerva looked up at her sharply but before she could formulate her reply, Hooch interrupted. "You're afraid to let go and let love happen to you. You're afraid that he'll kiss you, you'll fall hopelessly in love with him and that he won't return your love. Your heart will be broken, you'll have to go back to reality and pretend as if nothing happened. The infamous Minerva McGonagall is afraid of rejection by the only man she's ever loved."

Minerva sat speechless. Truer words had never stung her heart or wounded her so deeply. Perhaps it was true. Perhaps she was afraid but she stood to lose so much more than just her pride if he didn't return her love. She'd also lose the best friend she had ever had, the strongest shoulder to lean on, the one who always made her laugh until tears poured from her eyes, the man who could calm her darkest fears with a simple touch of his hand.

Fairy Hooch gave her a moment to work through the emotions playing out in Minerva's mind. "You know what you have to do now. You know the story well enough that you could practically recite it word for word and never miss a beat. You have to finish the story, Minerva."

"Or what? We'll be stuck here forever?" 

"Exactly. Here, let me show you something." Xiomara waved her wand and suddenly an image appeared on the far wall in the room. Inside the hologram was Albus and he looked so sad. Upon further inspection, Minerva discovered he was in a dark dungeon, chained to a wall by his hands. His face was smudged with dirt and his shirt sleeve had been torn slightly. His appearance was a bit haggard but one thing never seemed to change…his twinkling blue eyes. Albus seemed to look up and into her face as if he could see her just as if she was standing in front of him and he smiled.

"He will stay exactly as he is unless you complete your next task, Minerva. Unless of course you'd _like_ him to stay chained to the wall," she added with a hint of mirth. "Minerva McGonagall, I always knew you had a kinky side to you but I never imagined this. No wonder you're reluctant to prick your finger. Too bad you can't actually capitalize on his predicament since you're so far apart. I'm sure you'd love to have him tied up somewhere, though if you ask me tying him to the bedposts would be a lot more comfortable for both of you than a damp, smelly dungeon wall," she added, making sure she was far out of Minerva's reach.

"XIOMARA HOOCH!!!" she shouted, shocked by the fairy's suggestion. Minerva was like any other woman and had the odd fantasy about being in complete control of a man's pleasure in such a way but it was something she had never shared with another living soul. Those were the thoughts she kept in the deep recesses of her mind, ones she never thought she'd have the chance to share with Albus…her prince charming.

"I'm just saying, Minerva, that if you don't proceed with the story, this…staying here in this room and him hanging on the wall…this is where you will remain. Now you know what you have to do. You have to go up those stairs outside your chamber door and into the room where you will find the last spinning wheel in the kingdom. One touch and you will fall into a deep sleep, as will everyone else, until Albus comes to rescue you. Good luck and remember…it's never nice to keep a man waiting too long. He's waited long enough for you, my friend." With a pop, Fairy Hooch was gone.

Minerva swallowed hard and turned back to her reflection in the mirror. The image of Albus in such peril gripped her heart in fear. She had to do this, if for no other reason than to spare him further harm. With a resolve to see this to the very end, she changed into a beautiful emerald dress which had been hanging in the closet then made her way up the stairs towards her destiny and a long sleep.

Albus sat in the dungeons where he had been chained by Trelawney's thugs shortly after their arrival. It was a tad uncomfortable as the shackles were very heavy but at least he had a bench to sit on rather than having to rest on the stone floor. It was obvious that the house elves in the book did not clean regularly. Everything appeared to have a coat of grime and the smell of the place was musty and foul. As if in answer to his thoughts, a rat scurried into the small enclosure casting his beady eyes up at Albus for a moment before disappearing back into the walls.

Shivering slightly Albus turned his thoughts to Minerva and what she might be doing at the moment. He smiled thinking of the look she would have on her face when she saw Trelawney appear as the evil witch. Minerva had never cared for Sibyl or her profession. As he shifted on the hard bench trying to find a more comfortable spot, a note appeared in the air before him. He tried to reach it but could not and he was pleased to see it unfurl for him.

_Brave Prince, your tasks for the final scene require you to escape and make your way to the castle to free the princess who is in a deep slumber. You will be challenged by thorn and dragon but do not lose hope. After all, every fairy tale has a happy ending._

Albus shook his head and sighed. He would love to escape but unfortunately he could not recall how the prince in the story had managed it. As the scroll disappeared the lock on his cell rattled and the door opened. Trelawney strolled in and in her hand was a long stick which housed a crystal ball on top.

"Now, now dear prince why so gloomy? A glorious future awaits you, the hero of a fairy tale." Sibyll moved closer and her free hand moved over the cloudy crystal ball. The fog seemed to part and a scene was revealed of Minerva sleeping in a gold canopied bed. "Behold your princess encased within the highest tower, the same as the peasant girl you met but yesterday. She is dreaming in an ageless sleep of her prince to come rescue her. And in one hundred years, little time for your steadfast love, the gates of my castle will part and you may ride off to answer your destiny."

Albus shot to his feet and struggled against the chains that bound him as Sibyll threw back her head and laughed. Albus felt a surge of power as a spark of anger coursed through him at her callous enjoyment of the situation.

"Patience, dear boy, patience," she said in her whispery voice, the one she used in her classes, before backing out of the door.

The key turned in the lock and Albus was once again trapped. He had also come to his senses and realized two things. One, he had started to take things just a bit seriously. And two, he had just felt his magic return to him in force. Excited by the prospect of being able to free himself he attempted to reach his wand with little luck. However, he needn't have bothered because within minutes of Trelawney's departure, three small fairies had entered his room. They looked very familiar but were moving so quickly he couldn't see them clearly. Soon he was free and was given a sword. He rushed out the now open dungeon and found his horse. The fairies freed his steed as well and they were soon riding toward the castle, the elves and goblins left behind as the bridge across the river of molten lava collapsed.

Albus searched for his wand as soon as they were riding in the safety of the forest but couldn't find it on his person.

"No cheating now Albus," a voice said to his right.

He looked over to find fairy Hooch flying beside him. "How did you," he began to question.

"I felt your magic return and removed your wand. I think there was a slight miscalculation as to your abilities," the little fairy continued. "The book simply blocks your use of magic and it appears you have overcome that charm. Do try to stay within the guidelines though."

Albus smiled and shook his head. "I will do my best but with the dangers ahead perhaps my wand might be useful."

Xiomara smiled but then simply disappeared without answering his question. Albus frowned since his plea had obviously fallen on deaf ears. The thorns would not be an issue since he had a sword but fighting a dragon, he did not relish doing that with only a blade. He had quite a bit of practice stunning dragons but even with his power it usually took at least one additional person casting their spell at the same time.

He was not paying much attention to his surroundings, letting the horse guide him as he had through every event thus far, when a surge of darkness was cast over the landscape. Albus looked toward the clouds in time to see a black spell shoot through the sky and into the ground between him and the castle. Thorn bushes began to sprout at an amazing pace and Albus urged his stead onwards as quickly as he could go.

The fairies, one looking quite a bit like Poppy, moved forward and began blasting the thorns clearing him a path. Still Albus hit the growing shrub hard and had to use the sword to help create a path. He felt the sharp thorns cut into his skin but did not take the time to look. His only thought was for his horse who would be suffering the same fate. He could feel the evil surrounding him and his heart began to beat more wildly than before. It no longer felt like a story to him and he wondered just what would happen to him and Minerva should he fail in his mission.

He was through the thorns before his mind could wrap around all of the implications of his thoughts and reined his horse in to look for the tower which held his beloved, his Minerva. It was at that moment that he realized just how strong his love was for her and how this simple story book would change their lives forever. There was no going back now, not for him anyway. He could no longer live in a world where he hid his feelings from the woman he loved. He now knew he would risk everything just for the chance of holding her in his arms for all time.

A cackling just behind him on the ridge brought his attention from the tower and the woman inside to the likeness of Trelawney, the one person standing in his way. The pounding in his ears was so great he could not make out what she was saying but he could feel her intent as if she were whispering in his ear. A darkness unlike anything he had felt before seemed to charge the air around her. He could sense it sliding and melting into all it surrounded. She moved forward a step before her form began to change, growing larger as wings and a tail formed. Her teeth glinted white as she revealed her true form as that of a horntail.

Albus did not hesitate nor stop to think of the consequences as he turned and galloped toward his adversary. He did not see her tail as it came around but the impact was a crushing weight on his side as he was flung from his horse. He rolled along the ground and finally came to a stop on the edge of the ridge. He felt the next attack coming and rolled toward safety just as her tail struck the spot where he lay a moment ago. He sprung to his feet, his mind blocking any pain his body may have been feeling.

He pulled out the sword as the dragon raised itself up. The steel felt heavy and awkward and Albus felt a momentary arch of fear. He had never been good with a sword, his talent lay in the realms of magic. His decision made, he dropped the sword and concentrated with his entire being, calling all of his power and shot a spell toward the ground at the dragon's feet. The deep purple light sprang out of his hands and exploded on impact. The earth started to give way and the black creature faltered and fell backward colliding with the rocks far below. Albus fell to his knees and moved forward to the edge. He looked over just in time to see the dragon disappear.

"Congratulations," a voice said behind him. Albus stood and turned to face Xiomara. She handed him his wand as her wings rippled slightly in the wind. "Your princess awaits."

Wiping his sleeve across his brow, he looked down to find blood on the torn material. He grinned, then smiled, then laughed. They had won and Albus had only to find Minerva before they could leave. He had so much to tell her but first he had to wake her….with a kiss. His eyes seemed to shimmer with a light from within his soul as he made his way into the castle and up the stairs.

**TBC…only one more chapter to go**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

As he dashed into the castle, the first thing that struck him was the fact that everyone seemed to have fallen asleep. Faces he recognized and many that he did not all became a blur as he raced towards Minerva in the highest tower. His heart was pounding fiercely in his chest, though whether that was from his recent altercation with the dragon or the fact that he was on his way to rescue Minerva, he couldn't tell. Perhaps one day he would stop to think things through or maybe place the memories into a pensieve and dissect them but for now nothing else mattered except getting to her and seeing those emerald eyes looking up at him.

It seemed like the stairs would go on forever as he climbed them two by two. The higher he went it seemed like there were still more stairs to go. Finally he reached the top of the stairs and was met with a large wooden door. Partially expecting it to be locked, he removed his wand from his pants pocket but when he tried the handle, it opened without any resistance.

The room was almost bare except for the offending spinning wheel and a rather large four poster bed in the opposite corner of the room. There were sheer drapes hanging from each of the posters and with the slight breeze, they seemed to ripple around the bed. A pale light danced through the window and fell upon the woman stretched out in the center of the bed. Without hesitating, he crossed the room and took a moment to gaze into her lovely face.

Minerva's lips were the color of the reddest roses. Her cheeks were pink, almost as if she had just received a compliment and her cheeks blushed her thanks. Her womanly curves were accentuated by the flattering dress which seemed to hug her body and stir desires deep within him.

His shaking hand reached out to brush a few errant locks of her hair away from her face and he let his hand lightly stroke her cheek. Slowly, he began to close the distance between his lips and hers, waiting until the very last minute to close his eyes and focus on the sensation of her soft lips beneath his own.

At first he was a bit frightened. When he first started to kiss her, she didn't move. Nothing seemed to change but he could feel a spark between them, almost as if he could feel her magic returning to her as it had to him earlier in the day. Suddenly, her lips parted slightly and she began to stir. His heart rate increased and he knew this was the moment he had waited for since this all began. He was about to pull back and give her a moment to catch her breath when he felt her arm slip around his neck, holding him firmly in place as she deepened the kiss.

After several blissful moments locked in a fierce embrace, Albus pulled back and smiled. Just as he had imagined, her emerald eyes were fluttering open and his raven haired princess was finally awake. The smile curling about her lips was a sight he was sure never to forget.

"Albus…you came for me. You did it," she said softly as she sat up and took a moment to gather her wits.

"No, we did it, Minerva," he smiled and reached out to take her hand. "I do believe you'll find that your magical abilities have been restored and correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this the end of the fairy tale?" Albus was still a bit muddled when it came to the actual story but as far as he could tell both he and Minerva had completed their main tasks set out by Fairy Hooch which meant they should be able to leave the book.

"Technically no this isn't the end. The prince wakes his sleeping beauty and then a feast is held to celebrate their…well…to celebrate but I'm sure if we both have our powers back there's nothing to stop us from returning to Hogwarts. And believe me, Xiomara Hooch had better have the best hiding spot in all of Scotland when I get home! She…"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't harm my quidditch professor, Minerva. She meant well I'm sure. But for now, let's see about getting back to our own world. There are many things I wish to discuss with you and I'd like to tell you what happened to me and to hear everything that happened to you while we were separated."

Before either of them could even begin to formulate a plan of escape, one last bit of parchment appeared in front of them and began to unfold.

_Congratulations to both of you for a job well done. The Prince has overcome many obstacles to rescue his Sleeping Beauty. And the fair maiden was surely granted true loves kiss for that is the only way she would have woken from her slumber. _

_You must be anxious to return to Hogwarts and you have many things to discuss. Kindly place your hand on the spinning wheel and it shall serve as your portkey. And Minerva, kindly remember that sometimes friends mean well though their methods might be a bit drastic._

The instant their hands touched the spinning wheel, Albus and Minerva were transported back into Albus' office. Everything seemed to be exactly as they left it and the book which has started the entire adventure lay opened to the last page. It felt odd to Albus to look down and actually recognize the scenery, knowing no one would ever believe he had once lived this fairy tale. But his musings didn't get very far for Minerva was already gathering her things and making ready to leave his office.

"Where are you going?" he asked curiously. "I thought we could chat a while."

Minerva was suddenly very nervous and uneasy around Albus. The kiss she had shared with him had been so wonderful. Her lips tingled as she replayed the memory in her mind and she could feel her heart pounding with excitement. But her head was a completely different matter. She told herself rather quickly that it was nothing more than a kiss to get out of the situation they faced. Surely he hadn't meant it as a true lover's kiss for in her mind, he could never look at her that way, a painful realization that dug deep into her soul.

"I need to go. I'm sure there are things I need to see about since Merlin only knows how long we've been absent from the school. And I'm sure you'll want to take care of things."

"I do and that's why I'm asking you to please stay. I want to take care of you," he said softly as he reached out and took her hand in his. "You are the most important person to me. Everyone else can wait." He laced his fingers through hers and without asking he pulled her closer to him.

The air around them grew thick with anticipation. Blue eyes met green ones as she took a step closer to him, noticing how he subconsciously wet his lips then smiled. "What happened back there was a fairy tale, Albus. It was a means to an end." Her cynicism seeped through every syllable of her softly spoken words and it caused his heart to ache.

Suddenly it all made sense to him and he knew what he had to do to alleviate her fears. Without asking for permission, he closed the remaining distance between them and brushed his lips across hers. Her lips were softer than he remembered and more pliable as he lightly stroked her bottom lip with his tongue. He felt her stiffen in his arms at first but as he eased her mouth apart and slipped his daring tongue inside to deepen the kiss, they both relaxed considerably.

Minerva wanted to break and run when he took her hand in his. A large part of her was convinced that his little chat, as he had put it, was nothing more than his way of reminding her that what had happened inside the book could never happen in reality. There would be no fairy tale ending for them as there had been for the prince and princess. But that all changed when she realized his face was inching closer to hers and that his lips were parted. Butterflies began to swarm inside her and when his arm went around her waist and pulled her to him, she stiffened, unsure of how to react.

All of that seemed to melt away for both of them as the moments slowly ticked by unnoticed. The kiss grew in intensity until both needed to take a short break for a breath of much needed air.

"Albus , I…"

"Sssssh," he quieted her with a finger across her swollen lips. "Me first for a change." She nodded her head and he led her over to the sofa in his office, sitting down and drawing her into his arms. "I realized something while acting out the events in this book." Her look was enough to spur him on in his explanation. "I learned that you are my princess. You are my sleeping beauty. You are my world, Minerva, and if anything ever happened to you I'd be as lost as that prince in the forest. I love you and I always have. I was just too afraid to admit it until now."

Minerva sat speechless. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine such a profound declaration of love from the man she had fantasized about and wanted for years. And now, because of some silly childhood storybook and an overzealous friend everything was changing for the better. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes and were threatening to spill down her face when she spoke.

"I never thought you could fall in love with me. I was always your friend, your helper, your second in command but I didn't think you saw me as a woman. I suppose I gave up on that dream years ago but I never stopped loving you. Merlin help me, I swear I love you more today then I have ever loved anyone in my life."

His tender strokes across her flushed cheeks brushed away the tears that had started to fall. "I know it won't be easy for us but you already know my weaknesses and my strengths. You've seen me at my very best and my very worst but I promise you Minerva that if you give me a chance, you will never regret loving me. I want to take what I learned in that story and show you every day how much I need you in my life and want you by my side. Not for the sake of the school or for our jobs but for me, for us. Please, say you'll give me the chance to win your heart as I did in the book."

His pleading eyes were so compelling, though she needed no encouragement. "I will but only if you'll allow me the same privilege. I want you to fall in love with me and not the girl from the fairy tale."

"You are my fairy tale princess, my dear. And from now on we will start working on our own happily ever after. We can call it the Dumbledore story…once we're married of course," he laughed before capturing her lips with his own.

Neither cared nor noticed as the hours passed them by. Each shared their side of the story and how things had progressed, asking questions and explaining in detail what had happened while they were apart. Albus shared how he had come to realize his overwhelming love and devotion to Minerva and how she in turn had known from the very beginning that his kiss would be one she would always cherish.

"Do you still think that way my dear? Are my kisses really that good or are you just saying that to make me feel better?" he teased.

"Hmm, good question. Perhaps you'd better kiss me again and let me see if I can formulate an answer for you. Of course you realize it might take me a while to reach a firm conclusion but if you think you're up to the challenge, I'd be more than happy to stay as long as necessary until we have our answers."

"I look forward to spending the rest of my life experimenting with you, my dear. I can think of no other woman I'd rather have in my arms than you. I am just glad that Xiomara had the good sense to put us in Sleeping Beauty."

"Why? I know you weren't that familiar with the book so surely you can't claim it's your favorite fairy tale."

"Absolutely not, though now it is. I was simply being thankful that she didn't put us in Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast or The Little Mermaid."

Minerva's interests were piqued and though curiosity killed the cat, she had to ask. "And why is that? You can't make such a sweeping statement and leave it at that," she laughed as she tilted her face up towards his.

"Because I don't like being the center of attention and in Cinderella the entire kingdom was invited to party simply because his father wanted the prince to marry. Beauty and the Beast would have been difficult as well because I could never be as cruel and uncaring towards you as the beast was to his beauty."

"And The Little Mermaid? What do you have against that story?" she asked.

"Ah, that one scares me the most. For you see, the young mermaid, that would be you in this case, would have lived deep in the ocean and I'm not a very good swimmer. But I will concede that you most definitely have the body to pull off the mermaid look. Ah yes, two shells covering your ample bosom while the rest of your creamy skin remained bare for my roving eyes to feast upon." He laughed heartily as she slapped his chest playfully mere seconds before he began to tickle her sides, pinning her down on the sofa. "What do you say we test our theory this weekend? We can take a trip to my estate and spend the entire weekend lounging around by the lake and getting more comfortable with our new relationship?"

"Are you serious, Albus? Just the two of us? No owls, students, worries…just us?"

"You and me. That's it, my dear. Oh and maybe a copy of Sleeping Beauty. We could read it together and relive the best bits…the dancing in the forest, the way your lovely voice sounded as you sang and of course the kiss. I can see us reenacting that scene most of all, though we could always venture beyond the kiss to adventures of our very own," he finished with a wiggling of his eyebrows and a particularly charming gleam in his eyes.

Minerva leaned up and captured his lips with hers and she pulled him down on top of her. After several long moments, her lips left his and began to trail towards his ear. "One thing, though Albus. Let's leave Fairy Hooch in charge of the school while we're away. It's the least we can do to repay her for all of her hard work," she finished before nibbling on his ear and driving all coherent thoughts from his mind for the rest of the night and into the next morning.

**The End!**

**A/N:** Thanks so much for taking time to read and review our story. We had so much fun writing it and we hope you enjoyed our efforts!


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